051 - Protecting Rangoon

Burma Road and America's First WWII Ace

Throughout the 1930s, China and Japan were entrenched in War. As Japanese forces blockaded ports across China’s eastern coast, the Chinese had to find another way to get their imported goods. Unfortunately, the western passage was blocked by mountain passes such as the Himalayas, the tallest mountains in the world. To fix this, the Chinese began constructing the Burma Road, which snaked through the valleys of Burma (now Thailand) and extending to Kunming in northwest China.

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When finished, the Burma Road would link Kunming to the seaport of Rangoon,  

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However, just as they had done throughout the Pacific, the Japanese Air Force and Army were delivering a one-two punch to a major Allied city. This time, it was Rangoon, in Burma (now Myanmar). Still, there was a ray of hope over the skies of Burma; the Flying Tigers were racking up victories against the Japanese while being heavily outnumbered. In fact, the first American pilot to earn the title of “Ace” for downing five enemy planes was a member of the Flying Tigers David “Tex” Hill.

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Major David Hill had begun as a pilot aboard the USS Saratoga as a torpedo bomber before transferring to the USS Ranger and joining their dive bomber squadron. When he was given the opportunity to join the Flying Tigers in 1941, he leapt at the chance.

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His first four confirmed kills all came in January 1942, against Japanese Army “Nate” fighter pilots. He earned his “Ace” in the skies over Rangoon. First, he downed a Japanese bomber, followed quickly by another Nate fighter plane. In the beginning of March, he was rewarded for his leadership skills by becoming a squadron commander. When the AVG was disbanded, Tex Hill stayed with Claire Chennault, helping train new pilots for the Chinese Air Force, keeping the famed P-40 as the pursuit plane of choice.

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